Hello, everyone! Do you know or heard about any acellular organisms? How do they survive in environment? For example, a virus is an acellular organism?
Yes, viruses are the most common example of a non-cellular form of such creatures.
In addition to viruses, cell-free sometimes include viroids and virusoids, as well as infectious agents that do not have their own genome encrypted in DNA or RNA (for example, prions).
Acellular - parasitic organisms. The physiology of acellular organisms is subordinated to the physiology of the host, and its life cycle (its very existence or reproduction) is impossible (or very difficult) without obtaining the biological resources necessary for it from the host.
@benzol00 Why is it always a parasitic organism? Is it really impossible to discover nonparasitic acellular organisms?
If the reproduction of these organisms is associated with other cells, then in fact they will always be parasitic forms.